ticking when u throttle
 

This has been happening for as long as I can remember. Don't really mind it because its subtle and I usually have the radio loud anyway, but when you accelerate, in any gear, at any speed, you hear a light tick tick tick tick tick tick tick spaced about 1/2 a second between ticks while you accelerate, even cruising on the highway at 70, it just keeps ticking. it ticks a little lighter/slower when you only give it a little pep.

I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem before I tear things down to trace it down. I'm suspecting timing belt tensioner (replaced 30k ago with the belt and gasket) but there are many possibilities I suppose.

-Tim

http://www.criticalsky.com/images/mazda_lot_sm.jpg

It was 'pinging' before I changed the gasket, so I know that isn't it. It doesn't sound like a ping or knock, it sounds like a belt is running over a point that is loose...

I'll record it when I get a chance. I dont have to be moving, just accelerating of course. However, it does it at idle during closed loop.

somehting in your driveline? like a cv joint kinda click? except of course you are not turning when it happens. does it vary with speed, rpms, or does it happen like a metronome all the time?

its a light sequential tick that happens at idle but occasionally goes away then comes back when idling, but almost always is 'ticking' when you rev. i'm possitive it isn't engine related. it has to be something along a belt or a pump. it isn't a clank so it probably isn't related to the rack or front end components.

i'm just curious if anyone else has noticed it. it's barely audible unless you crack a window and listen for it, but its there. i'm going to record it when i get a chance.

thanks

-Tim

a trick i learned on autoweek the tv show a looooong time ago is to listen to specific areas of your engine to isolate the sound. open your hood and take a tube from like a roll of paper towels or some pvc piping er something like that and listen thru that tube with one ear, close the other and aim it at different parts of the engine. then you will get a better idea of where the ticking is coming from. since it happens at idle you can use this trick. hope this helps... post up again after you try this or not.

sounds to me like its the intake purge solenoid filling up that charcoal cylinder you have bolted to the firewall with oil fumes from the intake (via the pcv)!

i think most of us get it at some time or another....

its not a problem but annoying nonetheless. you might try unbolting the solenoid (which is mounted to the firewall?!?!) and mounting it somewhere else where it won't resonate so badly - it is a very strong sucker and makes way too much noise!

if only i could remember where i read about this.......

it was the solenoid. used the pipe trick and narrowed it down to it. i haven't done anything about it yet but at least i know its not an emergency problem. i would have never suspected it.

do you think it needs to be replaced if its making that hissing/ticking sound or should i just mount it away from me so i cant hear it (under the cruise control computer on the other side of the car?)

it doesn't need replacing - believe me when i say its working just fine and its meant to do exactly what it is doing - its just that its annoying.

i suggest mounting it elsewhere cos being mounted to the firewall gives it nice amplified acoustic qualities!!

i think you'll find if you simply attach it somewhere else you'll not hear it again.

:D